Tears From The Fire
by roo17
Summary: Ace's death was something that would haunt Marco forever. Losing his best friend was almost harder than loosing Oyaji. But what if he didn't lose Ace? What if he unknowingly saved him? No Pairings
1. Chapter 1: Goodbye

Tears From The Fire

**Summary:** Ace's death was something that would haunt Marco forever. Losing his best friend was almost harder than loosing Oyaji. But what if he didn't lose Ace? What if he unknowingly saved him?  
**Warning: **ooc, bit of swearing.  
**Disclaimer: **If I owned One Piece, it would have worked out like this! Or something along the lines thereof.

_**XxXxX  
**__**All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.  
**__**-J.R.R. Tolkien  
**__**XxXxX**_

He couldn't believe his eyes when it happened, when those words escaped his brother's lips. When he fell from Strawhat's shoulder, when he hit the ground with damn smile on his face, when his father died with his back unscathed standing tall and proud… Even after the war was ended and tears rolled down his cheeks at his loss, he couldn't believe it. Which was why he currently stood before the two, staring at their unmoving and lifeless bodies. Seeing Ace so still and quiet, it didn't seem natural. The kid was always moving around and causing trouble, even in his sleep sometimes. He felt himself tremble lightly and he turned into his phoenix form as he made his over to his best friend's side. Ace had loved Marco's phoenix form and often rode the mythical creature whenever Marco was in the mood to have a passenger.

A small, weak chuckle escaped the bird's beak as he silently remembered the first time the fire user had seen his zoan form. Ace's mouth had hit the ground and his eyes bulged in awe at the sight before he ran up and tackled the fire bird to the ground, nuzzling against the blue-flamed feathers that flickered and flared in the wind. He would often pet the phoenix too when given the chance, but not to tease Marco, but to simply have the privilege of feeling those warm, soft feathers under his hands.

The phoenix found himself hugging the body of his best friend, blue-fire wings surrounding the dead male. He bent his head low, allowing a single tear to fall onto the gaping hole on the male's chest. Both of his best friends were gone now. First it had been Thatch, and now Ace. He turned to his father and also hugged him, letting more tears fall from his eyes. He knew Oyaji wouldn't have been alive much longer, but he never expected him to die in Marine Ford. He liked to believe that the man was immortal and would live forever, as childish as it sounded. But then again, he _was_ a child. A child in Whitebeard's eyes.

Releasing a shuddering breath as he turned back to human, he nodded to the red-haired male to continue on with the burial. It had been a touching funeral and he couldn't have thanked Shanks enough for that. He stayed staring at the headstones of his family members before turning towards the remaining crew, giving a nod that indicated it was time to go. Time to set sail once again to the open ocean. The crew headed onto their new ship and Marco gave one last look at the two graves, feeling apart of him breaking into pieces. This was it, he was leaving his best friend and his father behind. Part of him screamed to stay, to not leave their sides for even a second, and keep them company. But he knew he couldn't. Since Oyaji was no longer around, they needed a captain-like figure on the ship. And sadly, they all saw Marco as that figure. Though they all agreed that he wouldn't be replacing Oyaji, he'd simply just stepping in as a substitute. Because none of them wanted to believe Oyaji was gone. They simply decided that Marco would take the spot temporarily until Oyaji returned. The phoenix gave another shaky breath before stepping onto the ship, leaving behind two of the most important people in his life.

Little did he know that when he was in phoenix form, the tear that fell onto Ace's wound had become a small, blue flame that slowly went to work.

Work that wouldn't be completed for two and a half years.

**XxXxX  
****Okay, I know that was short. I was thinking of leaving this as a One-Shot, but if you guys want me to continue, I will. So yeah, the rest of the chapters- if you guys want there to be one- will be about the same length, if not a little longer. This time, it'll be a short-chaptered plot instead of my usual 3000 word ones. Hope that's okay? If not, let me know and I'll make them longer. Hope you guys take the time to review! :D**

_Ice is the heart's last beat, water is the mind's defeat  
__~roo the psycho_


	2. Chapter 2: Revived by Fire

Tears From The Fire  
Revived By Fire

**XxXxX**

The first thing Ace noticed was that he couldn't breathe. The second thing he noticed was that it was dark, unbelievably so. The third was that it was incredibly hard to move. It felt like several tons of pressure held his body down, and that lifting his hand was a hard task. Panic overtook him as he had no idea where he was and the lack of oxygen in his lungs was starting to get to him. Pushing with all his might, he dug his arm through what felt like compacted dirt and continued to dig through it. He silently prayed he was digging up towards the surface rather than down towards the earth's core as his lungs screamed for air. He felt the pressure ease up and digging had become easier, letting him know he was indeed heading upwards. Finally, a hand broke through the grassy surface and if there had been any onlookers, they would have thought it was a scene straight out of a horror movie.

Trying to get a good grip, he pulled himself out of the ground gasping for air. His lungs happily filled themselves with oxygen and he plopped himself on the ground to recover from his near death experience. He took his hand ruffled out all the dirt stuck in his hair and rubbed his eyes, slowly opening them before squeezing them shut. His pupils seemed to scream that it was far too bright and too sudden to look at the bright sky so he rolled onto his stomach to face the ground. He opened his eyes very slowly and it took them a while- way longer than usual he noted- to adjust to the brightness of the day. He felt his muscles were all stiff and sore as if he hadn't moved them in quite a while, which brought his mind back to when he woke up.

Where the hell was he, and why the hell had he been buried in the ground?

Pulling himself into a sitting position, he looked at the hole he just crawled out of when he suddenly froze. He had to blink his eyes several times and pinch himself to make sure he wasn't still asleep. He flinched as the pain from the pinch shot up his arm. No, he wasn't dreaming. This was _real_. But he found that so hard to believe. He was alive, dammit! So… So…

So why the hell was his grave sitting right in front of him?

He looked to the side of his grave and spotted another, the sight of this one constricting his throat. The grave was labeled with an all too familiar name with an all too familiar coat hanging on the all too familiar halberd sunk into the headstone. 'Edward Newgate' it read. Ace's heart dropped.

"No," he whispered, breaking the silence. "Nononononononono… This cant' be true…" Yet the coat blew in the breeze as if telling him that this was reality, and that reality could be cruel. So hellishly cruel. Tears streamed down his cheeks that he hadn't even registered as he suddenly remembered all the events that occurred at Marine Ford. Everything up to his own _death._ But he didn't care about that now. All he could do was stare in horror and sorrow, feeling his heart break, and break, and break. His captain, his friend, his _father_ was gone.

Deceased.

Departed.

Lifeless.

Gone.

Killed.

_Dead_.

"No!" he screamed out, slamming his head into the ground and repeatedly striking the dirt below him. "No, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen! Not to _him_! Not to Oyaji…" He sobbed, covering his face with his dirt-covered hands. He had been prepared for his own death, but he certainly did _not_ prepare for _Whitebeard's_ death. Guilt wracked his brain as he knew that this was all his fault. It was _all_ his fault. Letting out a pain filled cry tear through the air, all the birds and creatures on the island seemed to lower their heads in grief.

* * *

Ace sat alone in silence for hours, staring out at the ocean hugging his knees tightly. He finally came to terms with Whitebeard's death after two hours of crying in both rage and pain, and was now thinking about other important things. Like how long he had been dead, where he was, or more importantly: What happened to Luffy. A newspaper clipping had been pined on his grave, but the abuse from the wind and sun had tore it off, leaving only a piece of the item behind. He stood up, determined to find both his brother and the rest of Whitebeard pirates. But that led back to Ace's current question: Where the hell was he?

A few other question gnawed at his mind as well. Like 'How the hell am I going to get off this damn island?' or 'Even if I find Marco and the others, will they be willing to take me back?' and even '…Do I still have my Akuma no Mi abilities?' Deciding to cross out one of those questions, he lifted his hand up and felt the heat course through his arm. Little flames erupted on all this fingers and he gave a grin. "Well at least I still have that. Now, how do I get off this island? I could always built a boat, I've done it before." He gave a cough, finding his throat raw from all the shouting he had done, and noticed how hoarse his voice sounded. His mind wandered to his childhood days when Sabo, Luffy, and him helped Naguri rebuild his pirate ship, and knew it would be an easy task. After all, he only needed a small boat.

It took him a week to make the boat, making sure it was steady and ready to set sail across the sea. Stepping onto the boat, he looked back at the grave of his father and made a quiet promise to him. That he'd make sure to protect the rest of the Whitebeard pirates with his life, even if they did despise him. Fixing his knife back onto his shorts and adjusting his hat on top of his head that he took from his own grave, he pushed away from shore and set his sail. He'd find his brother and he'd find his best friend, Marco. He'd find them and this time, he would keep his promises.

**XxXxX  
****Okay, there's the second chapter! The Naguri thing is from the anime alone. If you haven't watched it, it's basically someone who helped the three brothers train and get stronger. He's the one who helped Luffy throw straighter punches, and he's also the one who taught Ace that in order to be a captain, the crew has to respect you and sometimes it's good to ask for help. Naguri is the reason they beat the giant tiger. He's also one of the few people who knows who Ace's father is.**

**Thank you for all the reviews you guys left! *sniff* makes me so happy! :'D Anyway, should the next chapter be longer, or about the same length? Please review again! Please? :)**

_Take care!_

_~roo the psycho_


	3. Chapter 3: Reunited On The Ocean

Tears From The Fire  
Reuniting On The Ocean

**XxXxX**

He took in a deep breath of the fresh ocean air. It was a perfect day for sailing and Ace couldn't have been happier to finally be at sea again. He missed the sounds of the ocean, the seagulls flying high above, the sun on his skin. He gave a frown though, and wondered just how long he had been dead. When he had first awoken, his muscles had been so stiff from lack of use. Or had they been stiff from rigor mortis? His hand absentmindedly reached to his chest where Akainu's attack landed. The scar wasn't too visible, it was more like a faded one. His back, however, needed some help. The scar on his back erased most of the tattoo on his back- which had made him absolutely furious- and it needed to be redone.

That is, if the crew would even take him back.

Well, if that was the case, he could always join up with Luffy right? Yeah, right. Luffy would probably murder him the second he came into view for making him cry like a baby. Luffy, he wondered how the male was doing and prayed he was safe. _'What if he so broken up about my death, he gave up his dream? What if he died after all? No, he couldn't' have died… right?'_ He grew nervous and somewhat panicked, fidgeting as he stood on the boat's small deck. He needed to stop at an island and grab a newspaper. If Luffy was indeed still alive, he'd be causing trouble all over the damn place. The thought brought a twitch of a smile to his face. A smile that reminded him of Marco.

He remembered a specific time when Thatch had pulled a prank on the blond and tried to get out of trouble by telling several amusing jokes and stories of his life's screw-ups. Marco still may have seemed pissed, but if you had looked closely you would see the hint of amusement in his eyes and that phantom of a smile he cleverly hid.

Giving another soft smile, Ace looked up from ocean and spotted an island in the distance. It only took him three days of sailing to finally find land and he couldn't have been happier. After all, one could only live off fruit for so long. Tying his boat to the docks, he made his way to the nearest clothing store and bought an open-front yellow shirt and put it on. After leaving that store, he pulled his hat low to cover his face. If he hadn't been dead that long, he didn't want to start up a big commotion. Walking around the busy town, he finally found a good restaurant and plopped himself down in a seat. He ordered all the meaty dishes they had and ate to his heart's content. "Feels like I haven't eaten this good in years," he commented happily to himself. Now that he was full, he politely asked the waitress if he could have a newspaper and she responded with a light blush and nod. Playing with the toothpick in his mouth, he kindly took the paper and took in a deep breath. He prayed for Luffy's safety once more before looking down at the headlines.

_"STRAWHAT PIRATES RETURN! THE CREW HAS BEEN SEEN LEAVING PUNK HAZARD A FEW DAYS AGO AND THE GOVERNMENT IS CONTEMPLATING ON RAISING MONKEY D. LUFFY'S BOUNTY ONCE AGAIN AFTER AN INCIDENT INVOLVING–."_

Ace let out the breath he was holding and laughed, earning questioning glances from everyone. He didn't care though, he was just so damn happy his brother was alive and well, and causing all the trouble he could. But then something caught his eye. _'Strawhat pirates return? How long had they been gone?'_ Glancing up at the date printed on the newspaper, he suddenly froze. Throwing the newspaper aside, he quickly got up and rushed out of the restaurant to get fresh air. He tried to calm himself but he found that he was too taken back at the news.

He had been dead for two years.

Holy shit.

The world seem to spin around him and he picked up a nearby conversation. "Did you hear? The Whitebeard pirates lost another island that was in their territory." "They've been losing a lot of islands since Whitebeard's death." "Yeah, must suck to be on their ship at the moment."

_'They're losing territories? Shit, the world must be even more fucked up now. The Marines thought that if they won the war, pirates all over the world would cower in fear. But it back fired. Pirates have been jumping at the opportunities to claim islands that once belonged to Oyaji.'_ He let out a curse. He had to find Marco and he had to find him soon. _'The poor guy must be over his head with problems! Stress like that could make someone ill.'_

"But first I have to find out where the hell they're even at. For all I know they could be half way across the world. And where the hell am I?" Running up to a woman who was carrying a bag of groceries, he quietly asked her where he was and if she had heard anything on the Whitebeard pirates. He found that he was still in the New World, and that the crew he was looking for was last seen a few islands away. Wasting no time, Ace stole food from a vendor and jumped onto his boat, sailing off into the horizon. He either had the choice of taking the safe way to the ship, but it would take him five days to reach it, or he could take the shortcut that was dangerous but he'd catch the ship in only a day. Either way, he'd catch up to the boat, his family, and _nothing_ would get in his way. Not even a nest of sea kings or Davy Jones himself if it came to it.

Pushing away the fear of rejection to the back of his mind, Ace set out with a determined gaze. At the moment he didn't care if they hated his guts. He just wanted to know and make sure they were safe and sound. Especially a certain blond.

* * *

Marco flew through the air as he tried to push away all the frustrations that laid in his mind. Every since Oyaji had passed away, Marco's life had become hectic. He was constantly flooded with problems that, sometimes, he had no idea how to handle. So he flew through the air, hoping some peace would overtake him. It did, somewhat. He gave a sigh, finding he sky rather lonely today. It was times like this he wished Ace was still alive, wished he was on his back riding through the sky with him and making jokes about Tha–. He firmly pushed that aside. No, he couldn't live in the past. He couldn't afford to.

He was pulled from his thoughts when he spotted a small boat far below him, sailing towards his ship. He ducked lower to get a better view of who occupied the boat when a familiar flash of orange hit his eyes. His first thought, on instinct, was that it was Ace returning from a mission. His heart sunk when Ace's grave flashed in his mind and knew that it was impossible that Ace was alive. Another idea was that it was someone who had looked up to Ace- like a fan of some sort- and simply made a lookalike hat. But that was absurd, the phoenix reasoned, and pushed that thought aside. Then another idea hit him. What if that _was_ Ace's hat? That meant the person below had robbed and desecrated Ace's grave. The phoenix's eyes narrowed and darkened considerably. That thought did not settle with Marco. Not. at. all.

In a fit of rage, he swooped down soundless through the air at the boat, ready to tear apart the grave-robber into a thousand pieces. No one, and he meant _no one_, would get away with disrespecting his friend's grave. No fucking way, not while there was still a breath of air in his lungs. With sharp and ready talons out, he continued to drive silently at the thief with full-force. He was ready to kill.

* * *

Ace hadn't heard a thing, but he felt it. He knew that presence as well as he knew thermodynamics. He didn't need haki to feel it because that presence was as natural to him as Luffy's was. _'Marco.'_ Turning around and setting a hand on his hat, he spotted an all too familiar fire bird diving towards him. He was right, it was Marco. And Marco didn't look too happy at the moment. Ace wondered if Marco was attacking because he thought he was someone else or if it was because he was the reason Oyaji was dead. Either way, he continued to stand there, ready to take the attack head-on. Because Marco never attacked without a damn good reason. Never.

* * *

Marco was more than ready to tear them apart, his body moving on its own now that it was overtaken by rage. What he _wasn't_ ready for was the person to know he was coming and turn to face him. And he _really_ wasn't ready for who that person was. He instantly stopped, now only a few feet from the being, and transformed all of himself except his arms back to his human state. He could only stare in raw shock and nearly for got to flap to stay in the air. He opened and closed his mouth several times like a fish out of water, unable to find his voice. For once, he was left speechless. The person in front of him gave an expression that held mixed emotions, such as happiness, sadness, anticipation, confusion, pain, and fear. But Marco casted that aside and turned his focus on the person itself. He couldn't believe it, there was no way this was real. He had _dreamed_ of this moment, yes, but dreams were different from reality. Dreams were beautiful, warm, and comforting; something you could live the rest of your life floating happily in. Whereas reality, on the other hand, was all too often cruel and crushing; breaking dreams into millions of pieces and could leave someone so broken and haunted it would be as if the Devil himself had dealt them a personal hell they could never escape. So if this was just another hallucination, then reality had moved up to a whole other level of cruelty. Finally, the blond got his voice back and as he spoke, he couldn't help but feel fear and panic at the back of his mind.

"_Ace...?_"

**XxXxX  
Don't kill me! I'm sorry the chapter was kind of eh-ish. But thank you all for the wonderful reviews! They mean so much to me! :'D Anyway, I'll try to update again tomorrow or the day after. Until then, you all deserve cake and cookies! Or ice cream! Or pie and hugs! Or Law and Ace! Or whatever you want! XD**

_~roo the psycho_


	4. Chapter 4: Party Hardy My Friend

Tears From The Fire  
Party Hardy My Friend

**XxXxX**

"_Ace_…?"

The addressed man gave a shaky smile as he stood there in silence. Marco landed on the boat, his eyes wide with surprise. If he was having another hallucination this was the most vivid one he's had in over two years. But he couldn't be imagining things, especially with the detail _this_ Ace had. Like that faint scar on his chest from Marin Ford, or the utterly confused yet fearful look in his eyes. These were things Marco _couldn't_ imagine right? He had to make sure this was real, that he didn't finally snap and lose his mind. He ran to the freckled male before anything could be said or done and threw his arms around him in a tight embrace. The person went rigid at the contact as if expecting something else, like a punch or kick. But the main thing was that Ace was _solid_, not a ghost, but a real human being.

Marco couldn't believe his friend was alive.

He buried his face into the crook of Ace's neck and trembled lightly, holding back tears that threatened to fall. His best friend was alive. Not dead and buried in the ground, but alive and well. He felt the person beneath him hesitate to hug back but finally found a pair of strong, comforting arms around him. "Marco…"

"You're alive!" Marco laughed, he didn't know why exactly. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that his friend had just come back from the dead. Had to be, right? Here he was, stressed and ready to kill someone not three minutes ago, and all of a sudden he was laughing in the arms of his zombie friend. Yeah, maybe he _did_ lose his mind. He thought of going back to the ship and having one of the nurses check his mental health. "This isn't a dream is it?"

"No, it's not. I'm here right now, all flesh and blood." The blond pulled back to look at the male who spoke in such a quiet melancholy voice and frowned.

"Then why the long face?" Ace's eyes fell to the deck of the ship and Marco figured it was something the male would talk about when he was ready. Until then, Marco had to share the news. He couldn't keep a secret like this to himself. Not when it was this important! Turning back into his phoenix mode, he exposed his back to the male who looked at the bird with a tilt of the head. "Hurry up and get on. The crew's waiting for me to return. And besides, the sky's been lonely lately." A smile crept up onto that freckled face and Marco couldn't help but grin as he felt that presence slide onto his back. "Hold on."

Flying had never felt better before.

He couldn't resist the chuckle that escaped his beak when Ace had a narcoleptic moment, finding how easy this reunion was going. Honestly, Marco almost expected himself to break into tears of happiness to find this wasn't a dream. But instead, he found himself laughing like nothing was wrong. He wondered how the rest of the crew would take this. Hell he was wondering how the hell this was even possible! It wasn't everyday your best friend returns from the grave two years later! He approached the ship carefully, not wanting to land smack-dab in the middle of the deck. He had to break the news softly, otherwise people might drop dead from heart attacks.

He felt the body on his back suddenly slide to the side and fall off his back. He forgot Ace had fallen asleep. He dived down and easily caught his friend's arms with his talons but as he looked back to the ship, he saw Haruta- who was on deck no doubt awaiting his return- drop the telescope in his(?) (what the hell _is_ Haruta?) hands before grabbing a passing Vista's arm.

Well, so much for breaking the news softly.

By the time Marco descended to land on the deck most of the crew was already crowded at the railing, all slack-jawed and bug-eyed. It looked like one or two might even faint. The phoenix gently laid Ace's limp body carefully onto the deck before transforming back to human form and looking around at his family. Izo looked from the sprawled out snoring body to his leader with a look that demanded an explanation. The blond opened his mouth to explain the situation when he found that he couldn't, especially when he himself had no idea what was going on. The limp body suddenly came back to life as it jolted into a sitting position and looked around with tired eyes.

"Uh… Hi?" Ace found himself back on the ground when Haruta tackled him in a hug.

"Ace!" He was then tackled- he found it more like dog-piled- by the rest of his family who all laughed and cried tears of joy at his return. After the sentimental reunion, he was bombarded with literally hundreds of questions.

"How are you alive?" "When did you come back to life?" "Are you okay?" "How you feeling?" "You're not a ghost are you?" "Why the hell did you scare us like that?" "You're not gonna die on us again are you?" "What was the other side like?" "What the hell happened?" The list went on and on.

"I have no idea how it happened. I just woke up buried in the ground all of a sudden. No, Namur, I don't think I'm gonna fall down dead in a few seconds. No, I do _not_ remember if I even went to the other side. I've only been alive for a week, I…" That last sentence caught Ace's attention. He's been dead for over two years.

It was finally sinking in.

He pushed his way through the crowed and leaned against the railing. Being dead for two years, just thought made him feel empty inside. It was like a part of him was missing. He wasn't there for his comrades, he wasn't there for his brother, he wasn't there to help anyone. Instead he was laying in the ground doing absolutely _nothing_. He ran a hand through his hair. "I can't believe it's been two years." The crowed went quiet.

"Ace, you okay?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I just can't believe it. It doesn't seem real."

"How do you think we feel?" One joked, but Ace still flinched at the question. He had put his family through so much pain and loss.

"I'm sorr–" But before he could even finish his sentence, someone cut him off.

"This calls for a celebration!" And everyone broke out drinks, chefs began cooking and a few even made a banner and hung it on a wall. 'WELCOME BACK ACE!' Before long the whole crew was partying and laughing, teasing each other on their reactions when they first saw Ace. And to the revived male, every time he tried to apologize to someone, they cut him off so he excused himself from the party and ended up standing at the end of ship in silence. He watched the stars blink and shine for a while until he realized Marco was beside him.

"Marco! How long have you been standing there?"

"Ten minutes."

"Oh…" Ace stared at the ocean in silence. "Marco, do the others… you know, hate me for what–" The blond released a thick sigh that quickly shut the other male up.

"Ace, the reason everyone has been cutting you off midway through your apologies is because they _don't_ blame you for anything. It was our choice to come and save you and the only thing we regret was the fact that we couldn't save you. We don't blame you for anything, not even Oyaji's death. So stop acting like it is your fault and get over it. What's done is done and there's nothing that change the past." He shoved a pieces of cooked meat at Ace who nimbly caught it. "Now eat. We can't have any food go to waste and you have officially been named the ship's human vacuum cleaner." Marco left the freckled man standing to himself but not before looking over his shoulder to say one last thing. "Oh and I've already told the navigator to change course. We'll be meeting Strawhat in a few days." And then he left.

"Luffy…" The name brought a smile to his face as he took a bite of the tender meat. "Damn this meat is good. Guess my taste-buds haven't changed even after death." Looking back to the blond who stood on the side and watch the party go on, Ace gave a gentle smile. Even though Marco hid it well, he could see that the male was flooded with stress. It was probably because of the fact they were losing islands almost monthly now. "You were always one step ahead of me weren't you, Marco... The least I can do is help you run the ship." With that in mind Ace snuck into his friends room, stole most of the stacks of paperwork, and headed to his untouched room. As much as he hated paperwork, he knew Marco needed a break. And this would give a big break, no doubt about it. In fact, knowing this would help his friend out, Ace didn't mind the six stacks sitting on his desk. So he sat himself down and got to work. Six stacks of paperwork? Pf, Ace would get it done in no time! He's done paperwork before, how much could have changed in two years?

**XxXxX  
*Sips pomegranate drink* Sorry for the late update, things have been sort of hectic around here. And sorry for the rushed and sucky chapter. I wasn't exactly quite sure how to write this one. But not to worry! The next one will be better! I promise! Now, about Haruta, I have no idea if he/she is a boy/girl. So in this particular fic, I put Haruta as a guy. But if I ever do something else that involves humor, I'll change him to her. (That way she has fifteen older brothers looking after her. XD)**

**THANK YOU ALL FOR THE COMMENTS! *cries* You guys rock so much! Your reviews always cheer me up! Seriously, you guys deserve tons of hugs! Now, some of you wanted Ace and Law, but I'm not quite sure how to do that... Maybe you guys can kidnap them? XD (Yes, I have finally fallen victim to Law's sexiness... Dammit! XD)**

_~roo the psycho_


	5. Chapter 5: Flicker In The Flame

Tears of Flame  
A Flicker in the Flame

**XxXxX**

4:30 was the time Marco finally got up, though if had a choice he would have liked to have slept until ten. But, as the substitute captain he saw himself as, duty called. And that duty was six stacks of paperwork that were in the drawers of his desk. He pulled his blankets back and felt the pounding of his hangover in his temples. Oh yeah, he never should have stayed up so late drinking. As he went over to start on his stack of papers, realization hit him once again. Ace was alive.

Right?

What if it was just a dream? Another incredibly _lucid _dream. Or what if Ace had one of those deals or some shit where he was only allowed to live a week? The blond rushed out of his room and over to the galley because if Ace would be anywhere, it would be the galley. Bursting through the doors, he was met with silence and emptiness. No, Ace wasn't there. His heart began to pound as the thought of losing Ace again took over his mind. No, he wouldn't loose Ace. Not again. _'His room'_, he thought. _'He'd be in his room sleeping at this hour.'_ Running to where his friend slept, he nearly brought the door off its hinges as he threw himself into the room. The male that was sitting at a desk jump and nearly fell off his chair as he looked to Marco.

"Marco! What's wrong? Are we under attack? …Are you alright?" Ace noted that Marco's eyes seemed wide with what he thought was fear and panic. Marco released a breath of relief, glad to see his friend was indeed still alive. "You thought it was a dream, didn't you." Before Marco answered, his eyes landed on the piles of paperwork that were sitting in front of his friend and furrowed his brows.

"Is that the paperwork from my room?" The freckled male gave a toothy smile.

"Yeah, it is. I thought I'd help you out since you're probably over your head in problems. I thought I'd be able to get through at least four stacks, but I only finished my second one about five minutes ago. I didn't think so many things would change in only two years. But then again, the war did cause major shifts in the world– Seriously Marco, sit down. You look like you're about to faint and it's freaking me out." The blond male gave a quiet chuckle and sat down on the end of Ace's bed.

"You didn't have to do this you know."

"I know, but I still wanted to help you out. It's the least I can do."

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Ace shook his head, putting his attention back on the paper in front of him. "You should really sleep. You'll need your rest."

"Look who's talking," Ace snorted. "You only got three hours of rest. Go back to sleep, I'll wake you up at six." Marco tried to refuse the offer, he really did, but exhaustion overtook him and soon he was fast asleep. Ace let out a chuckle as he covered his friend with a blanket. "You always work yourself too hard…" He let out a yawn himself and rubbed at his tired eyes. He should get some rest but he wanted to finish up as many papers as he could. Marco had enough problems on his shoulders as it was, he didn't need to be worried over something as small as paperwork.

* * *

It was six-thirty when Ace finally finished the third stack. Nodding to himself at his achievement, he walked over and shook Marco's shoulder. "Oi, sleepyhead. Time to get up." The sleeping male gave a grumble before opening his eyes. He was met with a toothy grin that read mischief all over. _'What a sight to wake up to.'_

"What did you do."

"Nothing. I _was_ gonna draw on your face if you wouldn't have gotten up though." Marco sat up and looked back to the paperwork. "Sorry, I only got three stacks done."

"Ace, why are you even apologizing? I'm the one who should be apologizing, I shouldn't have fell asleep again." Ace rolled his eyes.

"Oh stop already. Seriously, you never give yourself a break. Have you ever even _heard_ of a break? Or vacation? Or _time off_? That extra two hours helped, I can tell. So don't apologize. Or I _will_ draw on your face and post the pictures all over the deck."

* * *

Ace was tired. Very, very, very tired. Yet he hid it surprisingly well. He knew this because Marco hadn't mentioned him acting any different or sluggish. He felt victorious about this because Marco had eyes like a hawk (no pun intended) and always noticed even the subtle changes in someone. He smiled to himself as he enthusiastically coiled some rope and didn't even hear said blond approach him. "Either that piece of rope is secretly made of sausages or you're lost in Lala Land because no one is that happy when coiling rope." The freckled male let out a chuckle.

"No, I was just thinking. It's nice to be back on this ship again."

"Well it's good to have you back. Thanks again for the help. Those three stacks you did really made a difference. I actually have free time for on–"

"Marco, we need help!"  
"Yeah, Haruta did something weird and now I think the toilet seat is glued shut!"  
"I didn't glue anything shut! And besides, you somehow got a frying pan stuck on the ceiling!"

Marco turned towards the commotion. "And my time is up. See ya."

* * *

Okay, now Ace was exhausted. He spent the entire day using his energy to help others finish their tasks so they could have small breaks, making him feel so accomplished after helping complete 61 tasks. They were mostly simple things like coiling rope, washing some dishes, or mopping some of the deck. But still, by the time dinner came around, Ace was wiped out. As he crossed the deck to get to the galley, he felt an all too familiar sensation come over him and before anything else could be done, he fell into a narcoleptic sleep.

_"No need to speak. Just answer me one question, Ace... Am I good father?"_

_"Of course!"_

_"Gurararara..."_

_"Whitebeard is after all just a 'failure' from the previous era! Called pops by a bunch of scums... acting so warm like a family roaming the seas. Roaming around for decades without become a king or anything! In the end, he got hurt by his idiotic son which got cheated by some cheap talk! And he is giving his life to protect this bunch of people! Ain't that the emptiest life ever? Humans that don't walk on the right path got no living value! The world has no place for you pirates! Whitebeard is a failure going to his death! This suits a general of a bunch of scums!"_

_"Shut up! Don't insult our savior! The name of this era... is Whitebeard!"_

_"I will never let the two of you leave!"_

_"Ace!"_

_"Wait! L-Luffy! LUFFY!"_

Ace snapped his eyes open and stumbled back, falling to the ground as he tried to catch his breath. His body was wet with sweat and his blood rushing through his body. Vista walked through the galley doors and spotted Ace on the deck. "You okay, Ace?" Said male ran a hand through his clammy hair and nodded, finally finding his voice.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I just spooked myself is all." Vista gave him a concerned look and held the door open.

"You gonna come in and eat?" The fire user shook his head as he stood up, brushing his shorts off.

"No, I think I'm gonna go lay down. Feeling a bit tired." Ace turned away and headed to his room. There was no way he could eat after that, his appetite was completely gone. As was his desire to sleep. Giving a sigh, he leaned against a wall in his room and slid down to the floor. He hadn't gotten a full night's rest since he crawled out of his own grave and must have gotten only a total of five hours rest in the past eight days. Fatigue gnawed at his mind like a starving dog gnawed at a nearly meatless bone and he rubbed his face. "Get ahold of yourself, Ace. It's just a dr–" Actually, no, it wasn't a dream. It was a fucking memory that haunted him. He could clearly remember the expression Luffy wore when he fell from his brother's grasp. He could remember the way Luffy's panicked and strangled voice cried out when Ace told him he was gonna die. He could remember the way Whitebeard smiled and laughed before Ace had to go and fuck it all up by fighting Akainu.

He could remember it all.

And he desperately wished he could forget it.

* * *

Something was off. Marco could sense it. Looking around the galley he noticed a certain person was missing from the room and he excused himself from the table. Something was definitely wrong. Ace would never pass up on a meal. Uh-uh, not unless something was bothering him to a point where he lost his appetite. _'There's a flicker in his flame,'_ he thought. He stood in front of his friend's door and picked up a hand to knock only to be cut off by a voice. "I'd like to be alone." Marco always respected other people's wishes, especially when it came to privacy. But he also knew when to break those wishes, and now was one of those times. He entered the room and found his friend on the ground with his knees tucked into his chest and face buried in his arms. He took a seat next to him and sat there in silence knowing Ace would talk when he was ready. Time seemed to pass slowly and the blond wondered if his friend had fallen asleep.

"Ace?"

"Have you ever had a dream that wouldn't go away?" Marco looked at his friend, quietly awaiting for him to go on. "A dream that, no matter what you do, always comes back to haunt you? It's always there, watching you from the dark corner of your mind ready to pounce you like a tiger pounces on its prey. Waiting to tear your mind apart until nothing remains and you're forced to live with an empty feeling in your soul." Ace's grip on his elbows tightened to the point where his knuckles were nearly white. "My dream keeps haunting me, and it won't go away. It'll never go away. I have the scars to prove it." It was right there that Marco figured out what his friend was talking about.

It wasn't a dream, but a memory haunting him. A horrible memory from Marine Ford.

Dreams and memories were different. Dreams, no, _nightmares_ were something that eventually faded because they're nothing more than made up pictures. Memories though were things that hardly ever leave. They stayed with you like scars, fading but never completely disappearing. Ace curled up even tighter.

"I'm scared, Marco, and I don't know what to do. I caused the death of Oyaji and I nearly killed all of you and Luffy. I don't understand why I'm alive, I don't deserve to live." Things remained quiet until the blond finally spoke up.

"There's a saying, Ace: _'Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.'_ You may think you don't deserve to live, but we think you do. You're important to us, Ace, never forget that. We don't care who your real father is, or that his blood runs through your veins. We see you for who you are."

"Who am I then, Marco? Because I don't think I know anymore."

"You're Portgas D. Ace, older brother to that trouble making brat Monkey D. Luffy. You're the 2nd Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. You're the son of Whitebeard and a child of the sea. And you're my best friend. You can also be the most damn annoying person we know." Ace let out a weak chuckle and lifted his head from his arms.

"Sorry I'm such a burden."

"Ace, you say you're sorry for one more thing and I really will throw you into the sea. And I'll make damn sure Namur doesn't jump in to save you."

"Heh, fine, fine. You win." Marco stood up and ruffled his friend's hair. "Marco?" The male turned to face his friend.

"Yeah?"

"Could you... Um..." Marco gave a warm smile, already knowing what his friend wanted to ask. Ace looked to the side in embarrassment.

"Yeah, I'll stay with you." He pulled a chair over to the side of Ace's bed and the freckled male wiggled his way under the covers. "Get some sleep, kiddo."

"Thanks," the male murmured before he fell victim to his fatigue, falling asleep seconds after his head hit the pillow. Marco couldn't help but give a chuckle.

"You can be such a handful sometimes, always looking out for others before yourself. But I guess that's one of the reason why we all love you."

**XxXxX  
Love as in brother love! Family love! Even though I kind of like the Marco x Ace pairings, this story is pairing free. So don't go thinking it's yaoi. Cuz it's not. Sorry the ooc in this. (Well, I _did_ warn you guys in the beginning there'd be ooc.) Anyway, I'm soooo sorry for the late update. I blame, uh... the spatulas. Yeah, I blame them.**

**THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! SERIOUSLY, HOW CAN I MAKE IT UP TO YOU GUYS? :'D YOU ALL ROCK!**

_~roo the psycho_


	6. Chapter 6: Haunted by the Past

Tears of Flame  
Haunted By the Past

**XxXxX**

Weary brown eyes stared out at the dark, star-filled horizon. The crescent, shining moon's reflection shined beautifully on the calm ocean surface and the sound of water gently lapping against the boat was the only sound to be heard. The male gave a thick sigh, one he had been holding in all day. It was nice to finally be alone, to have some privacy where he could act how he felt.

To finally drop his happy façade.

He rested his elbows on the railing of the ship and took in a deep breath. The smell of the ocean calmed him somewhat, but not enough to where he'd be able to sleep. The sounds of his nakama snoring faintly reached his ears and he gave a weak smile. He wished he could sleep peacefully at the moment but he knew that wouldn't happen. For the past twelve days he had been having trouble sleeping, unable to face the images that appeared in his mind. Images that brought forth horrible memories he wished to forget. He rested his head on his arms with closed eyes and almost instantly the memory came flooding back to him.

_"I'm sorry, Luffy… I couldn't let you save me properly. Forgive me. I can tell when my own end has come. He's burned up my insides… I'm not coming back from this… so, Luffy, listen up… If it weren't for the Sabo thing and having a little like you to look out for… I would never have even wanted to live… I have just one regret… That I won't be able to see your dream come to pass… But I know you. You'll pull it off for sure. You're my brother after all… Just like we promised back then… I have no regrets about how I lived my life! It looks like what I really wanted in the end… wasn't fame or renown at all… It was an answer to the question of whether I should have been born… Old man! All you guys! And Luffy… Even though I've been for nothing my whole life… Even though I carry the blood of a demon within me! …You guys still loved me! Thank you so much!"_

Luffy opened his hard eyes, holding back tears that threatened to fill his eyes._'Has it really been two and a half years since that day…?' _It seemed like it happened so long ago, like it was a forgotten dream, but sometimes it seemed like it just happened the other day. He looked down at one of his hands and not only did he see it, but he could _feel_ it; the warm and thick blood of his brother that died in his arms while protecting him. A sting of pain hit Luffy's heart and this time he couldn't hold the tears back. He fell to his knees and clutched two of the balusters tightly as he released a hard sob.

_"Baka! Worry about yourself! I'm much stronger than you! Listen Luffy. I will never die!"_

_"What, did you think I was dead? What are you crying for? Don't act like people are dead when they're not, baka! I'm not gonna die, no matter what! That's a promise! Like hell I could die and leave my weak little brother all on his own!"_

"You promised," the cracked voice whispered. "You promised me you wouldn't die. You promised…"

And for the tenth night in a row, Luffy cried quietly himself; making sure none of his nakama would wake up and find him in such a vulnerable state. In such a _weak_ state.

* * *

Ace still wasn't getting that much sleep, even with Marco sitting by his bedside most of the night. He'd still wake up in a cold sweat and out of breath, still haunted by the distant memories. On the bright side though, he was getting at least five hours of sleep a night now. Marco never told anyone of Ace's dilemma and the second commander was gratefully for that. The last thing he wanted for everyone to start worrying about him like he was a child or something. But tonight was one night he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. Ever since he came back from the dead, his nightmares had been getting worse and worse every night. Marco had to wake him up three times last night because he was thrashing so hard. So Ace didn't want to sleep tonight despite Marco's insisting. "You need to get more rest, Ace. You haven't completely caught up on your sleep yet."

"I'll be fine, Marco, really. Don't worry. I'll take the night watch tonight." After Marco's suggestions of sleeping tonight were shot down several more times, the blond finally gave up and agreed to let Ace have the night shift. He stood in the lookout tower and watched the moon's reflection shimmy in the ocean's uneasy surface. The crescent moon that shined high in the night sky reminded the freckled male of his little brother's smile. "Luffy…"

_"Take me with you! Let's become friends!"_

_"Why is it so necessary for you to become my friend?"  
__"Because… because I haven't got anyone I can trust! I can't go back to Fuusha! I hate bandits! Without you i would be alone! Loneliness is more worse than pain!"  
__"Where are you parents?"  
__"I haven't got anyone else except my grandfather."  
__"When I'm with you… do you feel better?"  
__"Yeah…"  
__"Without me you feel bad?"  
__"Yeah…"  
__"So you… want me to live?"  
__"Yes!"_

_"From this day on… we are brothers!"_

_"What do you mean you're dying? Didn't you promise me? You said… you would never die! Didn't you?"_

Ace couldn't help but bite his lip. All these years he always thought he was the best thing for Luffy, always protecting him from any harm. Yet he was the one who probably caused Luffy's the most harm, the most emotional pain he probably ever felt.

_"Everything will be fine as long as I'm with you!"_

"I couldn't have been more wrong," he quietly told himself, remembering Luffy's pleas and expressions on his death day. "I really couldn't have been more wrong."

* * *

He hugged his knees tighter as the tears slipped down his cheeks and bit his lip to stop the scream he wanted to let out so badly. The memories wouldn't stop plaguing him and it was becoming increasingly hard for him to keep his happy facade in front of his nakama all day. Thankfully though none of them saw through it yet but he had no doubt in his mind he'd slip up soon. He didn't want to worry them, to bother them with his problems. His brother's face flashed in his mind again and he choked down a sob. _'Go away, go away, go away.'_

_"From this day on… we are brothers!"_

"Go away, go away…"

_"Like hell I could die and leave my weak little brother all alone!"_

"Goawaygoawaygoaway…"

_"Listen, Luffy. I will never die!"_

"_Go_ _away_!" Luffy clutched his head tightly in an attempt to stop memories. "_Go_ _away..._!" Two years had passed since things had gotten this bad. Sure every night he'd go to bed thinking about his brother, a constant reminder on why he got stronger. But things have never been this bad since he woke up after the war. He didn't like this, it scared him. The memory whispered into his mind again.

_"I will never die!"_

_'Liar. You died. You left me all alone.'_

_"I will never die."_

_'Liar…'_

_"I will never die…"  
_

* * *

Ace had fallen into his old pattern again. He hadn't slept in the past three days and that was really starting to worry Marco. For one night, things started to look better for Ace, but then it started to go down hill again. Now the freckled male refused to even lay down in a bed, completely ignoring the instinctual need to get some rest. So, being the worried friend that he was, Marco gave Ace some time off. Which was why they were currently having a glare-off. Well, more like a one-sided glare off. Marco wasn't glaring. Ace on the other hand was trying to dish out the best nonthreatening glare he could muster and it affected Marco in no way whatsoever. "I don't want to go to sleep."

"You sound like a damn three-year-old, Ace."

"But Marco, I–"

"Look, if you keep up this insomnia thing, you're gonna end up causing more harm than help. So if you want to help us out, at least get three hours of sleep. I'll stay by your side if you want and wake you up if it seems like you're having a nightmare." Ace wanted to protest but from the look Marco was giving him he could easily tell the blond wasn't going to back down. And frankly Ace was too damn _tired_ to argue back.

"Fine," he mumbled under his breath. "But when you say it like that, you make it sound like I'm a kid."

"You are in some ways," chuckled the blond, earning a quick, child-like glare from Ace. The younger male even tried to bribe Marco once more to let him stay awake but was out like a light the second his head touched the pillow. Really, sometimes the mature male was worse than a five-year-old.

* * *

That was it. He _had_ to get some damn sleep because he couldn't take it anymore. Dragging himself back over to his cot, Luffy fell face-first into his pillow and let out a sigh. His fingers gently touched the dark skin under his eyes and frowned. He really didn't expect his eyes to get so dark from the lack of sleep over the past fifteen days and was nearly caught by Robin when she mentioned he looked tired. "I didn't get much sleep last night. I was too hungry," was his happy reply. He mentally gave a weak chuckle. _'Wow, that must have been the first time I actually lied that well. Robin actually thought I was telling the truth. Score one for me. Yaaaay...'_ He gave another sigh. Sleep, it called for him and, this time, he answered it. He happily closed his eyes and waited to fall into oblivion. Damn the memories, he wasn't gonna let them stop him from getting his rest dammit! So he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And–

"Gah! Just fall asleep already!" He fluffed his pillow and tried to get into a more comfortable position by sleeping on his side. "Go. To. Sleep." He laid for an addition five minutes before he finally felt consciousness slowly start to slip away, making him give a tired smile. Finally, sleep.

_"W-Wait! Luffy! LUFFY!"_

_Blood._

_"I have just one regret... That I won't be able to see your dream come to pass."_

_It was everywhere._

_"But I know you. You'll pull it off for sure."_

_It covered his hands and face._

_"You're my brother after all."_

_It filled his vision and he tried to scrub it away. Scrub it off and out of his sight._

_"...You guys still loved me! Thank you so much!"_

_It was blood that would never go away._

Luffy's eyes snapped open and he quickly pushed himself onto his elbow, glancing at his hands to make sure they were blood-free. They were. He rubbed his face and gave a sigh, placing his head back onto the soft pillow only to find it soaked with sweat. He tried to fall asleep again, closing his eyes for only a few seconds but found that he was no long tired. "Fuck it all," Luffy growled as he punched his pillow and left his cot. Whatever, he didn't need his sleep. Sleep was for the weak anyway. (_Yeah right, his mind cried._) Taking in a deep breath, he put on a smile and walked out onto deck where his nakama awaited him.

* * *

One hour was all Ace got. He jerked up into a sitting position before Marco could even have a chance to shake him once. Again, it was as if something was forcing him to wake up. Marco quickly noticed that the one hour of sleep had actually only made the skin under Ace's eyes darker and gave a small curse. If this kept up, Ace's health would gonna plummet and it would gonna plummet fast. He was already becoming sluggish in his actions and had been caught spacing out repeatedly. He knew the male was going through a hard time but if push comes to shove, Marco wasn't afraid to use force. "Ace, you need sleep. Your body is gonna start breaking down soon and–"

"I know," snapped the male before relaxing a little. "I know. Just... Can I be alone? Please?" The blond gave a sigh and reluctantly left the room. The freckled male lifted his hand to his chest where his scar was and glared at the bed. "Okay, I'm going to try this again. When I lay down, nothing better try to fuck with me. Got it?" Of course he was met with silence and he waited a few more seconds before lying back down to get some rest.

_"Ace! You said you would never d–"_

He threw the blankets off and and got off the bed. "Fuck it all," Ace growled and left his room, dead set on not sleeping until he was reunited with his brother. He didn't need sleep anyway. It was just a setback. Nothing more. He walked to the empty bow of the ship and took in a deep breath. "Hold on, Luffy. I'm almost there." And as he continued to stare at a now approaching island, he noticed a rather familiar ship had just anchored at it. A ship that held an all too familiar face on it. A face that was haunting Ace's mind.

**XxXxX  
LORD OF THE RINGS FUCKING RULES! *cough* Okay, now that that's out of the way, back to One Piece. Yes, lots of ooc again. Sorry if it was too much. I would have posted this ten hours ago but I got caught up on a LotR marathon... And then Jurassic Park came on. XD (Someone should do a crossover with those... Like a OP/LotR crossover. :D And a OP/JP XD) Anyway, yes, more hauntings of nightmares. I think I'm obsessed with giving characters nightmares. Anyway, you know what's in the next chapter! Once again, thank you for all the reviews! :'D Oh, gotta go. LotR is on again. XD Ah, I should really get some sleep... But how can I pass up Legolas? XD**

_Ice is the heart's death beat, water is the mind's defeat  
~roo the psycho_


	7. Chapter 7: Unexpected Guests

Tears of Flame  
Unexpected Guests

**(Just a quick warning: If you don't read the manga, there's spoilers in here about Punk Hazard.)  
****XxXxX**

He wasn't gonna lie, he nervous as hell at the moment. So many thoughts ran through his mind as his brother's ship drew nearer and nearer; making him actually tremble lightly with anxiety and excitement. He walked back to the middle of the deck and began to pace back and forth, impatient to reach the island. Impatient to reach the brother that haunted his mind. _'It'll be fine,'_ he thought in an attempt to calm himself. _'Everything fine, chill out.'_ He let out several long, deep breaths and at the trembling almost ceased completely. Almost. He held a hand to his mouth and lightly tapped his cheek with a finger. He quickly spotted Marco and ran to him, almost knocking the male over as he bombarded him with questions.

"Marco! Are we almost there? How do you think Luffy will react? Should I put on a shirt? Do you think he remembers me? I'm not hallucinating right? Because I know when you don't sleep for like four or five days, you start to hallucinate. But what if I give him a heart-attack? How do I look? What if–" Marco held up a hand before the freckled male could ramble on any more and sighed in irritation.

"Ace, I'll be honest with you. You look like _shit_, but still good enough to see your brother. Don't worry, everything will be fine. I doubt he'll have a heart-attack but we'll have our doctor on stand-by anyway. At this point I think that if anyone is gonna have a heart-attack, it'd be you though. We'll be there in five minutes so _sit_ the _hell_ _down_ or you really _will_ give yourself a heart-attack. _No shit_ he remembers, idiot. He's your _brother,_ in case you've forgotten, and you never _forget_ a brother." He toned his voice down and let out a breath to relax. "Now, did that answer all your questions?"

"Actually, you forgot two: What his reaction will be, and if this is a–"

"Ace!" The freckled male flinched slightly, suddenly realizing how frayed Marco looked. "Look, I don't know_ how_ he'll react, but I'm sure everything will work out fine in the end. He'll probably be angry at first but he'll get over it. Now is there anything else I can help you with?" Ace shook his head slowly. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in my quarters."

The vexed blond walked away, his body tense and his stride quick. Something was obviously eating at him, frustrating him to end. Now that Ace thought about it, Marco's eyes looked rather tired and the skin beneath them was dark. And as he took another few moments to think about it, Marco had seemed tired for the last two days. _'He hasn't been sleeping either… And it's because of me, isn't it…' _His fists clenched tightly and he bowed his head. _'How… How did I not notice? I've been so caught up in my own problems I never noticed how much this was straining Marco! I'm such an idiot!'_

"Marco…?" Said male turned around to see Ace biting his lip. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pulled you into my problems. You're busy enough as it is without having to keep a constant eye on me."

"No," the male sighed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. It's just I've been so worried about you. But you came back from the _dead_, Ace, and we have no idea why or if it's temporary. I want to make sure you're okay because I don't want to have to go through the pain of losing you again." A flash of pain crossed his eyes and Ace flinched at the guilt that rang up inside him. And he knew that in three minutes time, that guilt would be probably multiply tenfold.

**XxXxXx**

"Luffy, just wait a minute, will you? I don't want a repeat of Punk Hazard!" Nami screamed at the hyper captain just as he was about to run off into the jungle. The captain gave a whiney pout and the orange-haired navigator let out a huffed breath. "Really, of all the captains in the world, I chose to follow an idiot!"

"But Nami-swaaan! I wanna switch with you aga–" The blond soon found his face smashed in the deck with a new wound on his head. Zoro simply rolled his eyes, but in a way couldn't help but agree with both parties. While he understood how Sanji would have liked to be in the body of one of his crushes, he didn't want to go through another confusing affair again. Robin had to agree with Nami on this one. Seeing Franky making those expressions while in Chopper's body and hearing him talk… She never wanted to see that again.

"But Namiii~! I wanna go exploreeee!"

"Shut up! I'm not gonna let you go running off and causing trouble before we even–"

"Sencho-san, we have visitors." Luffy stopped his whining and looked behind the Sunny to see a familiar ship approaching. The rest of the crew looked too and their captain voiced their exact thoughts.

"Huh? What's the Old Man Whitebeard's crew doing here?" And it was only to find the answer to this question that kept the adventure-bound male from going anywhere. Instead, he stayed put on the beach and watched quietly as the giant ship finally docked; giving a large yawn and rubbing his eyes in the process. He really needed sleep. '_Hopefully I'll be able to get some tonight after an adventure or two…'_

He saw a few familiar faces appear at the bow of the ship, one of them being the blond named Marco that had saved him from Aokiji two years ago. The memory brought a shiver to male's spine. "Oi, long time no see, Strawhat."

"Shishishi, back at ya! What are you all doing here? Looking for an adventure too?"

"We were looking for you actually," the one named Vista replied, grinning and stroking his mustache.

"Eh? Really? How come?" Marco turned around and started to whisper to a person that was just out of Luffy's sight, peaking the male's curiosity. Why would Whitebeard's crew be looking for him? Maybe to check up on him, to see how he's doing? He heard a splash and knew someone had jumped from the boat into the shallow water. But who could it be? It wasn't Marco, Vista, or Jozu because he was looking right at them. So who…? He felt like jumping in excitement and curiosity. It had been a while since he had felt his suspenseful. Because he loved surprises. But only if they were good ones. Bad surprises tended to bring his mood down drastically. He could hear the footsteps getting closer to leaving the ship's shadow and he held his breath. _'Maybe it's Shanks! O-Or maybe Raleigh again!'_ A boot emerged from behind the boat and–

Luffy took in a sharp breath. That boot, he knew that boot…

His throat constricted as the person came into complete view.

His eyes widened and he found himself speechless.

His heart stopped beating all together.

"Wh… Wha…?" The person in front of him gulped as they put on a trembling, weak, smile. Behind him, Luffy could hear his crew gasp. He would have gasped too if the air hadn't disappeared from his lungs. Gray eyes lightly shook and watered as they looked into his own brown ones. Those freckled cheeks, those toned muscles, that bright orange hat…

"Hey, Lu…"

Oh god, that_ voice._

It couldn't be a dream. Absolutely not. And if it was a dream, Luffy didn't like it. In fact, he _detested_ it. The thought of all this being a dream- no, _nightmare-_ was heartbreaking. And as he finally regained control of his motor-functions, he opened his mouth to speak. To speak a word he hadn't dare to say in almost long three years.

"A-Ace…!" The male in front of him gave a bigger smile. "Ace!" He began to run towards the male who opened his arms a little to say something.

"Luffy! You have no idea how worried I've–"

And that was all Ace could get out before he found a fist planted firmly in his face.

**XxXxX  
****Okay, sorry it's so short! But I have to go like now or I'm gonna be late for roller-staking practice with my dad. But I have to say I'm sorry it took so long to update and I'm sorry to end it like this. I wanted to continue it but it might be a while before I can update again. I'm still working on Abandoned and Lost and should be able to update within a week or so. Hopefully. Anyway, thanks for the kind reviews again! I'll update this story as soon as I'm able to! Also please take my poll on my page, it's for a future plot! Thanks!**

**Since I feel bad about leaving you such a short chapter, here's a story you should read when you get the chance! It's called Kill the Rabbit by Mountain97. Go! Read it! Hurry up! You'll love it, I promise! And go watch None Piece! Or Tobuscus videos! Alright, I seriously have to go now. Bye**


	8. Chapter 8: Reunited and It Feels So Good

Tears Of Flame  
Reunited and It Feels So Good~!

**XxXxX**

_"Ace… Why do we have nightmares?" The thirteen-year-old looked up to his older brother who stopped washing a dish when the question was asked. The teen blinked, wondering why the question suddenly popped up._

_"Well, I guess we have them because in a way they make us stronger." Luffy blinked and tilted his head to the side._

_"Then why do bad things happen to us?"_

_"Because they also make us stronger. Much stronger. They teach us lessons and, in the future, those lessons will help us carry many burdens."_

_"I don't understand…" Ace gave a gentle smile and ruffled his brother's hair._

_"Trust me, you will."_

Ace sat up, still mildly surprised by the punch he received moments ago. He knew Luffy would be mad, but he didn't expect the first thing he'd get would be a punch. He began to worry if his brother would even forgive him. Before anything could be said again, he found himself tackled back down to the ground in a bone-crushing embrace. The person on top of him began to tremble and he could clearly feel tear drops falling onto his bare shoulder, making his eyes tear a little too. "A-Ace!" His brother's broken voice…. He never thought he'd be so happy to hear it. "I thought you were gone! I-I tried so hard t-t-to save you! But then you… You…" Luffy couldn't bring himself to say it. He just couldn't.

"I'm so sorry," Ace whispered back, sitting up and giving a hug back just as powerful, if not more so. "I'm so, _so_ sorry, Luffy. I… I just wanted to make sure you were safe." He stroked Luffy's hair as he felt tears leave his own eyes and he gave a sob himself. "I never meant to cause you so much pain. I… I'm just so happy you're alright."

"Ace, promise–"

"I promise, Luffy. I _promise_ with every last piece of my life that I will _never_ leave you again. I'm never leaving you again, you hear me?"

"You were the only brother I had left. I was so sad you were gone. But I'm so happy you're back!" And through Luffy's little childish sobs, he let out a small laugh. "I'm so happy! So, so, so happy…" Ace gave a weak chuckle and he pulled away, wiping away the tears that stained his freckled cheeks. Nothing could describe the happiness the two D Brothers felt at that moment, knowing that their family was indeed alive and safe. Giving on last sniffle, Ace punched Luffy in the arm.

"Now stop crying like a baby, dammit."

Luffy punched him back. "Well you're crying like one too, baka."

"You started crying first," Ace smiled, as did Luffy. "Look at you. I can't believe how strong you've gotten. You took down one of the emperors, you know all the haki, your bounty rose, you're in the New World… You've grown up so much since I last saw you."

"Well," Luffy grinned, though happy tears still ran down his face, "–I owe it all to you. 'Bad things make us stronger and teach us lessons', right?"

"And you've grown wiser… Are you sure you're still the same Luffy I knew ten years ago? Because right about now he'd be saying–"

"I'm hungry? Yeah, I don't really have an appetite at the moment. But," Luffy let out a huge yawn and so did Ace. "I could really use some sleep now." Ace gave a nod.

"I know what you mean. I've hardly slept the past, like, fifteen days."

"Me too," Luffy admitted, catching both Marco and the Mugiwara Crew's attention. "It's the memories, isn't it?" Ace gave a noter nod, finding his eyelids suddenly heavy. Luffy gave another yawn and tired rubbed one eye. "I guess we can get a few hours sleep before we go adventuring, yeah?" Ace gave another nod and before anyone had the chance to say anything, the brothers fell to the sand; both asleep in seconds. Luffy's crew shook their heads at the brothers' childish action but Marco couldn't help but think about what Luffy said.

_'Neither of them were getting any sleep because memories were haunting them. And how is Ace even alive?'_ Marco tried to think how it was all connected but gave up in the end with a sigh. He was too tired to think. He'd ponder about it later when he was well rested. He turned to Jozu and Vista. "Grab some sleeping bags and pillows for them. I guess we'll camp here for now." The two commander did as they were asked, quickly returning with a total of three sleeping bags and three pillows. Marco frowned. "I don't know if you can count, but the last time I checked there were only two brothers." From the side, Izou shook his head.

"You need to sleep too, Marco. We've all seen how tired you've been lately. Get some rest. We'll keep a watch out for any marines." Marco opened his mouth to protest but was cut off. "And if you even think about arguing, we'll make sure there's more paperwork for you then there's ever been in the past year."

_'Well, can't argue with that.'_ Marco jumped down from the ship and approached the two sleeping pirates with a smile. _'The will of D... It's quite an amazing thing to witness.'  
_

* * *

_Death. It was approaching fast from the east. Ace sat up and looked at the tree-line, his eyes narrow and searching. Something was coming, but he didn't know what it was. He looked down at Luffy who was still sleeping. He'd protect his little brother from whatever it was. He would make sure of that. He could feel it coming closer now; its presence almost familiar to the pirate. Thin and mangy black fur rippled over powerful muscles that allowed it to run at an unbelievable speed; its multiple jaws snapping and slobbering as large teeth were bared multiple times. Its fur was spotted with several oozing and dripping sores and it gave several unearthly snarls. Its red eyes seemed to glow in the dead of night as it continued forth with its mission. Eyes of death itself._

_Ace's eyes suddenly widened and he scrambled to get on his knees to get a better view of the tree-line. He knew what was coming. Fear began to rise within him and he broke into a cold sweat. Next to him Luffy continued to sleep on in a peaceful state, and Ace no longer found himself worried about his brother. Instead, he got to feet and turned to run when he suddenly stopped. Where would he run? He was on a fucking _island_, there was _nowhere_ to run. He contemplated trying to swim but remembered he couldn't with the power of an Akuma no Mi. He stood at the water's edge and looked back at the forest line. It was closer, almost upon him now. And though he still couldn't see it, he could feel that familiar presence._

_Luffy mumbled something in his sleep and turned onto his side, fluffing his pillow as he did. Ace could only wish he was still asleep at the moment. The worry for his brother was gone. Why should he worry? This creature wasn't after Luffy._

_It was after Ace._

_Its body tore into sight and Ace was frozen in its place. There was nothing he could, nowhere he could go. The creature would rip him apart. Its jaws opened, ready to tear into Ace's skin. It would find and destroy its target._

_And nothing would stop it from fulfilling its mission.  
_

* * *

Ace jerked into an upright position so fast he had become dizzy. He looked around quickly, finding himself inside a sleeping bag with Luffy and Marco sleep at his side. He let out short and heavy breath, running a hand through his wet hair. His body was sticky with sweat and his eyes were still wide. That dream really bothered him, really troubled his mind. He looked back at the tree line with anxious eyes. The jungle seemed quiet in the dead of night and even though the campfire still burned brightly in front of him, he couldn't help but sense a certain darkness surround the area.

He looked back to his brother and Marco. Luffy... He just promised his brother he would never leave his side again. But after that dream, he wondered if he'd be able to even keep this promise. He prayed his dream was nothing more than a nightmare and laid down to look at the stars, a feeling of uneasiness never leaving him.

**XxXxX  
I'm am so sorry it took so long update. Please, feel free to punish me for my crime.  
Anyway, I know it's short. But a short chapter is better than no chapter, neh? So I hope I did somewhat alright with the reunion. I figured Ace wouldn't be one to stay emotional for long, so I made him change the top rather quickly. I apologize if it's ooc.**

**Can anyone guess which creature is after Ace? ;D**

**So... I hope it's okay! Have a great day everyone~!**

_The ice/water elemental,  
~roo the psycho_


	9. Chapter 9: Surprise, Surprise!

Tears of Flame  
Surprise, Surprise!

**XxXxX**

The feeling was back. The feeling that something was off. Marco stifled a yawn as he opened his bleary eyes, looking about to see what was going on. It was still nighttime, around two in the morning if he had to guess. He looked beside him and found the red sleeping bag empty, causing him to look around for his friend. He spotted the logia-user sitting next to the fire.

Ace rested his chin on his knees as he stared into the fire, lost in his thoughts. Absentmindedly he lifted his left hand up, his palm facing upward. A small flame emerged in the middle of his palm and Marco watched silently from the side as the fire molded itself into the shape of a familiar male.

Whitebeard.

The flame flickered as a small breeze came, but it did not disappear. Ace had managed to catch every little detail of the once larger-than-life male, and the blond couldn't help but feel his eyes slightly burn as they started to water. _'Oyaji...'_ Marco stared at the sight and rested his head on his pillow, his eyes not leaving the fiery figure of his father.

* * *

_"The stars in the sky have failed to see  
How much pain is blooming inside of me  
The stars, once oh so bright,  
Are now nothing more than just dull, dull lights  
Why did you go, why did you stray?  
Please, I'm begging you, come back to me and stay  
Now you've died, and your flying so high  
You're finally free, yet here I am;  
Dying from loneliness  
Dying from a broken heart  
Dying to see that smile once again  
So please, won't you come down  
And stop all my tears  
Before in them I drown.__"_

_Marco's quiet voiced died, cracking at the end he buried his face in his hands. He fell to his knees and openly cried in the crows nest alone, his heart breaking every time he closed his eyes and saw those two faces he had come to love so dearly. Whitebeard, his father and role model; Ace, his brother and best friend. And even though Marco had already lived for over a thousand years, never before had felt such pain as he did right then and there._

_Captain? How could be Captain? He couldn't even protect three people! How was he to protect ALL the other crew members if he couldn't even protect THREE? He couldn't. That's how. He couldn't protect anyone. He was a failure._

_'Once a failure, ALWAYS a failure, Marco. Never forget that.'_

_It was in that moment did he wish he could join them; Ace, Thatch, and Whitebeard._

_It was in that moment did he wish he could die._

* * *

_"You can turn into a PHOENIX?!" Marco, in his zoan form, eyed the boy wearily. The kid looked like he was ready to faint, he was so ecstatic. He answered slowly._

_"Yeah, I can turn into ph–" He was tackled to the ground by the freckled male. He gave a growl and looked down to yell at his assaulter when he blinked in surprise, finding Ace nuzzling his cheeks against the blue-flamed feathers._

_"They're so soft! They're not even hot, just warm like the touch of skin. And they're so beautiful! Seriously Marco, why don't you ever change into your phoenix form more often? It's so awesome!"_

* * *

_"Marco," the deep voice called, and Marco happily answered it. A voice that praised him. A voice that _loved_ him._

_"Yes, Oyaji?"_

_"How's Ace doing?"_

_"He's doing fine. Ever since he joined he's been… overjoyed, to say the least." Whitebeard gave a grin._

_"That's good to hear." Marco eyed his father suspiciously, and the larger male seemed to sense it. He looked down at his oldest son with a raised brow. "Yes?"_

_"There's something you're not telling me," Marco noted. "And it has a lot to do with Ace. You've been checking up on him a lot lately." Whitebeard fell silent. "Care to share?"_

_"Maybe later tonight," the larger male answered before giving a playful scowl. "I guess nothing escapes the eyes of a phoenix, huh?" Marco chuckled victoriously as he made his way towards the rest of the crew._

_"Nothing escapes these eyes, Oyaji. For a phoenix never fails to catch the smallest detail in the largest scene."_

_Night had come and, as scheduled, Marco made his way into Whitebeard's room, taking a seat on the end of his bed. "Is there something you wish to confess, Father?"_

_"What is this, a sacrament of reconciliation?" Marco only chuckled in response, as did Whitebeard, before things quieted down. "I don't plan on becoming the next Pirate King," the larger male began. The blond looked up, not really surprised by the news. He knew Oyaji never wanted fame, only a family to care for. A family to call his own. "But I plan on making Ace Pirate King."_

_Okay, so maybe _that_ surprised him._

_Marco furrowed his brow in confusion. "Wait, Ace? Why Ace?" Of all the children Whitebeard had under his wing, his was choosing the newest– and probably the most _strangest_– son to make famous?_

_"Because he's Roger's child."_

_Marco spluttered._

_"_What?_ He's…? But that…" Whitebeard gave a deep laugh._

_"I thought 'nothing escaped your eyes', Marco." The blond sent a childish glare at his father when his own words were thrown at him._

_"Okay, so maybe I can't see _everything_. But are you sure he's…"_

_"Yes. He came and told me the night before he officially joined the crew, though I had already figured it out before then."_

_"He's nothing like Roger," Marco commented. "However, now that I think about it, he does share some characteristics with him. Like the 'I never run from a fight' attitude."_

_"Keep an eye on him for me, will you, Marco? He's lost and needs some guidance." Marco furrowed his brows._

_"I don't understand…"_

_Whitebeard gave a soft smile. "You will."_

* * *

_"Everyone's giving their life to save me… I'm so happy to be alive!"_

_"It looks like what I really wanted in the end… wasn't fame or renown at all… It was an answer to the question of whether I should have been born…"_

_"Even though… I'm so worthless… Even though… I carry the blood of a demon… You guys still loved me! Thank you so much!"_

_"I don't understand why I'm alive, I don't deserve to live."_

* * *

"You were right, Oyaji," Marco whispered quietly. "He was lost. But now… I think he finally found his path." Closing his eyes, the blond released a small sigh. "I miss you so much, Oyaji. We all do."

"Marco!" The blond's head snapped up and came into a sitting position when Rakuyo called from the ship. "I spotted one Marine ship and one warship about twenty-eight kilometers out to the west! It's heading straight for us!"

"Shit. Ace," Marco got to his feet and turned to the freckled male who was already waking Luffy up.

"Nnmmm… Ace? What's wrong?" Luffy opened his bleary eyes and wiped away the drool that dripped down his chin.

"The Marines are coming. Go wake your crew up." The Strawhat captain dragged himself from his sleeping bag before getting onto the ship's deck and sounded the alarm. The crew was up and about in minutes, as was the rest of Marco's crew. Everyone was on alert, ready to attack and defend when the time came.

"I'll take care of the cannonballs," Zoro spoke, unsheathing two swords. The Marine warship took its place two miles away and readied its cannons as the other ship closed in. Marco gave a nod over to Haruta who unsheathed his sword as well, taking a spot near Zoro."We'll leave the rest to you guys."

The sound of a cannon firing reached the pirates' ears and the swordsmen went straight to work on the first round cannonballs, easily slicing them in halves and quarters. "The marines on the other boats are snippers," Usopp announced, picking up his Kuro Kabuto and taking aim. "Be careful, they don't look like they're amateurs either."

"Izo! Curiel!" Said Commanders gave a nod and headed to the stern of the ship with several other gunners. Usopp stared in awe as the tenth and sixteenth commander fired their guns and managed to take out several groups soldiers without even using scopes. "Namur, we need to take out the warship."

"I'm on it," the fishman replied. Sanji jogged over next to him.

"I'll come with you." The commander nodded before jumping into the water and taking off towards the warship with Sanji sitting on his back. Ace stood on the beach, keeping a close eye on things, when he heard voices emerge from the jungle behind him. He turned just in time to see marines spill from the tree line, swords and guns in hand. He grit his teeth.

"Marines are coming from behind!"

"There must be at least three or four ships on the other side of the island," Marco growled, transforming into his phoenix mode. Franky, Brook, Luffy, Vista, and Rakuyo all jumped onto the beach, ready to take on the enemies in front of them. Several guns went off and bullets dug themselves into Luffy's rubbery skin. The bullets were launched back though, and Luffy only gave a light grin. One marine fired a shotgun at another pirate but found that the bullets went right through his chest and the wound was replaced with fire. Most of the marines stared in downright shock and confusion. One got on a mini snail transponder.

"Sir, you're not gonna believe this… But Portgas D. Ace is on the island!"

_"That impossible, corporal. He died in the war two years ago."_

"I know, sir, but we're staring at him right now… He's alive!"

Ace gave a scowl as his fist ignited with fire. "Hiken!" The attack took out several marines who weren't quick enough to dodge the attack. Several more fired their guns at the once-dead commander, but the wounds were only replaced with fire. Marco took a quick look at Ace to make sure he was doing alright when his eyes widened at what he saw.

"That's…" He was brought back to the fight when several bullets passed through his wings. He turned to the marines with a glare and attacked.

"Rose Rondo!"

"Franky Radical Beam!"

"Jet Gatling!"

"Shinka Shiranui!"

"Seis Fleur: Clutch!"

"Kakuho: Elf!"

"Hanauta Sancho: Yahazu Giri!"

"Thunderbolt Tempo!"

The marines were easily taken out, not standing a chance against the powerful pirates, and the ones that still stood grabbed their wounded and dragged them back through the forest with the order to retreat. Behind them, the now damaged warship began to sail off, as did the other ship full of snipers. Namur and Sanji returned minutes later, both unharmed. Ace turned to Luffy and high-five'd each other. Turning back into his human form, Marco ran over to the second commander. "I think I know how you came back to life," he breathed, earning Ace's attention. "When that marine shot you in the chest, while the wound healed with fire, I saw a small blue flame."

"You mean like your fire?"

"Exactly! I think a part of my regenerative flame managed to to heal you. Because the flame was so small, it took over two years to fully heal the wound Akainu dealt."

The freckled male looked like he wanted to grin, but he furrowed his brows in thought. "But how did one of your flames... get inside me?" Marco stopped to think over the question too; mirroring Ace's expression.

"I'm not quite sure. It had to be sometime after the w–" The blond suddenly looked up, eyes wide. "A tear." Ace blinked.

"What?"

"I transformed into my zoan form and I cried while hugging you... One of my tears must have fell into your wound."

"Saved by the tears of a phoenix... I think I like the sound of that..." A grin spread across Ace's features. "This is great! Thank you, Marco! You brought me back to life!" He pulled the blond into a quick, tight hug before turning to Luffy. "You hear that? I'm part phoenix now, Lu." Luffy's eyes widened in awe.

"Awesome! You're so lucky, Ace! No fair… I wanna be part phoenix. Hey, you! Pineapple-hair! Make me part phoenix too!" Marco gave his famous 'are-you-fucking-serious?' look before turning back to his ship.

"Good job, everyone. You did great." The members of his crew all gave grins. "Now how about we get some–" Ace's head snapped back to the forest line where all the birds were spooked into the sky. The colorful array of birds looked beautiful against the light blue of a new sunrise; how their dark reds, bright yellows, milds greens, and subtle purples all mixed perfectly together to form a rainbow cloud as they flew away. Marco, however, was more focused on Ace, noticing how tense the male suddenly looked. "What's wrong?" He was completely ignored.

"Robin, right?" The second commander asked, looking at the archeologist of his brother's crew. She gave a nod. "What do you know about this island?"

"It's name is based on the old Latin word Ianua, meaning gateway. There's quite a legend pertaining to its name, too."

"And what would that legend be?" Ace asked, almost cautiously.

"That the Gateway leading to Hades, or the Underworld, is hidden somewhere on this island."

Trees in the forest began crashing to the ground and all the island's wild inhabitants scurried away from the commotion. Ace paled and took several steps back. "He's coming for me," he whispered. Marco couldn't help but suddenly feel uneasy about the situation.

"_Who's_ coming, Ace?"

"The ultimate guard to Hades," he dryly replied. "Cerberus the Three-Headed Dog."

**XxXxX  
****I feel horrible. I didn't update this in so long and when I finally do, the chapter sucks. I'm sorry guys. Believe it or not, I actually forgot about this story. I've been so busy working on a different story, one I haven't even published yet, so I kind of, you know, forgot about this. I apologize for any wrongness in this chapter, meaning the strategy Marco uses and the name of the attacks, and for any ooc-ness. I tried, but, well, it didn't turn out that good. Again, I apologize. I'll try to edit all the errors next time I get wifi.**

**Oh, and please look at the poll on my profile. It has to do with upcoming stories.**

**And, on a side note, there will only be one or two more chapters. Tears of Flame is almost at an end. :]**

**Thanks and have a great day/morning/night!**

**Oh, and one more thing:**

**THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! YOU GUYS ARE TOO NICE! Q.Q**

_Your shy ice/water elemental,  
__~roo the psycho_


End file.
